Grain-tank.



- W. JOHNSTON.

' GRAIN TANK. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 294910.

996 ,254, Patented June27, 1911.

2 SHEETS-BHEET 1.

. INUEJNPEIH w. JUHNS TUN W. JOHNSTON.

GRAIN TANK; APPLICATION PI LBD JUNE 29, 1910.

996,254, Patented Junb:27,191 1.

WITNESSES INUBN'T'IJH' iggn W.JUHN5'TUN v A N v W Q WWW y IIH .inent andconstruction side elevation of the outlet ATENT OFFICE.

- WILLIAM JOHNSTON,

OF WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA.

canrrnrarra'.

To all-whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, WILLIAM JOHNSTON, of the city of Winnipeg, in theProvince of Manitoba, Canada, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Grain- Tanks, of which the following the specification.I

My invention relates to grain tanks and the object of the invention isto provide a portable, simply constructed, fireproof tank havingconvenient inlet and outlet openings therein whereby properly placed inthe tank "and quickly withdrawn when required, such tank being furtherwaterproof, strong and durable.

' It consists essentially in thenovel arrangereferred to and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a side view of my tank closed. Fig. 2 is a plan view of thesame. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed horizontal. sectional view throughthe side thereof, the section being taken in the plane denoted by theline X X, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed chute and adjoiningparts looking at it from the interior of the tank. Fig. 5 is an enlargeddetailed vertical'sectional View through the outlet chute showing itopen. Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view through a portion of theroof-.of the tank, the section being taken in the plane denoted by theline Y Y, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the tank frame workshowing particularly the roof construction.

In the drawings likecharacters of reference indicate corresponding partsin each figure. v

1 represents the base of the tank which 1s octagonal in plan and iscovered over in any suitable way by a metallic covering in order 'torender it proof of fire. The base 1s supported on suitable cross beams,or 1f desired, can be mounted on rollers so that the tank can be drawnfrom place to place when desired. To the upper face of the base I havesecured beams 2 which are arranged in the form of a circle andareutilized for holding the-sides of the tank as shortly des ribed.

3 are upwardly directed beams secured at the lower ends firmly to thebeams 2' and spaced at suitable intervals, such beams being united attheir upperends to a doublethickness of horizontally disposed beams4.'Cross beams 5 are secured attheir ends to the beams}; and diametricallyacross Specification ofLetters Patent. Application filed June 29, 1010.Serial No.

grain can be easily and of parts hereinafter of the cover is PatentedJune 27, 1911. 569,500.

the tank, bein'gsuitably connected centrally. A post 6 is supportedcentrally by the beams 5 and passes upwardly to form the peak of theroof.' Roof beams 7 radiate from the top of the post 6 and are securedat their outer ends to the beams 4. Suitable braces 8 and 9 pass betweenthe beams 7 and are arranged concentric to the post 6.

The parts just described form what I term the frame of the tank.

10 is the body of the tank which is formed from corrugated metallicsections 11, the corrugations. running vertically. In the completed tankthe edges of the adjoining section are interlocked and are secured tothe upright beams 3 by nails or screws. The lower ends of the sectionsare fitted against the outer sides of the beams 2 to which they aresecured, while the upper ends are nailed or screwed to the beams 4.

12 is the tank roof formed from similar triangular shaped metallicsections 13 having their edges interlocked at 14 so as to form a watertight joint. The sections'are secured to the beams 7 and braces -8 and9, and the customary opening left at the peak of the roofforven'tilating purposes is covered over by a cap piece 15 carrying acone shaped top 16. One of the sections 13 is cut away to provide anopening at 17 in the roof through which the. grain is inserted in thetank. The edges at the sides of the opening are turned upwardly at 13and two similar plates 18 are secured by nails to the opposing faces ofthe adjoining beams 7 and have their upper edges turned over the,upwardly turned "edges 13 of the section 13.

It will be understood have been purposely located more or less centrallybeneath one of thesections 13, so as to support the section-in which theopen ing 17 is formed. The plates 18 hold the edges 13 of the section tothe beams and the construction does not expose the nail heads to theweather.

The opening 17 is closed by acover 19 which has its ed ges turnedupwardly and backwardly at 20 so as'tofit over the upper edges of theplates 18. When the cover placed on the roof of the tank the up er endslips beneath a hood 2l securedtot e section, which hoodpr'eventsanywater from passing into the tankbetween-the-upper end of the cover andthe roof. The lower end I secured to the tank by any suitable form ofhook and eyeilocated at 22.

that two beams 7' Y If desired this could be fastened by a pad- ,lockrather than the hook.

3 close against the bee.

One oi the corrugated sections 11 is par tially removed to provide adoor way opening at 23, which opening is closed by double. doors as nowdescribed. An outer door '24 itormed from a metallic plate is hingedlysecured to one of the beams or uprights 3 and has the opposite sidefitted with a hasp 25 fitting'over a staple 26 passing into another ofthe beams 3. A padlock can be employed for locking the door.

' -27-'and 28 are two, vertically directed beams firmly secured to thebeams 3 immediately behind the door, which beams in combinatiomwith anupper and'a'lower cross beam 29 form the door frame.

; Q30 is an inner door formed from an upper section 31 and a lowersection 32, which sec- 'tions are hinged at 33 to the 28 and s 27.. Theedges of the inner door are rabbeted so as to form a grain tight jointthe beams 2'? and 28.

3d and 35 are upper and lower straps passing completely around the bodyof the tank at the top and bottom, and 36 and 37 are further strapspassing centrally-around it for reinforcing purposes. The straps 36 and37 have portions thereof 38 and 39, respectively, removable, suchportions passing across the outer door 24. In order to remove them it isonly necessary to undo the nuts on the bolts 40 which pass through theoutwardly turned ends ll of the connected parts. 3 ,4

Within-the bodytof the tank I have located a combination trap door andchute at ,A,,, which in the present instance I have strewn-immediatelyto the side of the door 24; The construction of this is now described.

One of the corrugated sections 11 is out w away to rovide a more or lessrectangular .openingm which I have inserted a metallic frame of angleiron cross section to which frame is swingably securiedthe trap dobr 43having wings l4 extending from the sides thereof, which wings areconcentric to the hinge andare designed to swing with in the frame 42.The wings and/trap door constitute a, chute through which the grain canbe run' from the tank. It will be noticed" that thewings are providedwith lips 4:5whichengage with the upper side of the frame 42 whim thedoor is swung outwardly thereby holding ,the door in 'alset position.

' this a gate adapted to slide between the I "wings 44, such. gate beingheld in slidable relation to the tank by means of cross bars 47 securedto the inner side of the section. Liigs48 are cast on the'lower side ofthe frame 42, which lugs receive the gate when shut. A roddt) is boltedfirmly to the gate and passes upwardlyiwithin the tank so that it iseasily accessible tls'ough the opening se ate door or chute can alsobelocked by padlock if desired.

The opening 17 in the roof is very long and I consider this a greatadvantage over openings which I have seen inmany other tanks for similarpurposes. -Where a small or square opening only is provided the grain,which is usually placed in the tankthrough a spout, banks up at one sideof the tank and consequently puts a great pressurev on that side, whileleaving the opposite side thereof altogether free from pressure. With along opening such as I have provided the tank can. be filled by a spoutso that the grain pressure is equally distributed on all sides.

When one des'ires'to load awagon from my tank the Wagon box is firstbacked. against the tank with the rear end directlybeneath the chute.The driver or teamster then unlocks the trap dooryit it be fastened,

and swings it out over'the wagon box. He next removes the coverl9 anddraws the rod {19 upwardly, which motion allows the grain to passthrough the chute to the wagon. The wagon box can be filled in this wayentirely if the tank be fairly well filled-with grain. However in caseswhere the grain in the tank does not come much above the level 17 whenthe cover is removed. The trap of the chute, it will be necessary toload as much as possible through the chute in the manner above describedand then load through the door 24;. The door 2 1 will be opened afterthe pieces 38 and 39 have beenremoved and the wagon will then be backedup against the tank so as to come directly opposite the lower section 32of the'inner door. As the grain is practically all out of the tankbehind the upper section 3l'it is easily swung inwardly' The attendantcan then get into the tank and shovel the grain over the section 32 intothe box. I

In order to prevent any possibility of the tank bal ing atfthe sidewhere the door is located, fhave secured angle plates 50 to the postsadjoining the beams 27 and 28 to which angle plates are fastened rods51which pass inwardly and downwardly to the base of the tank where theyare fastened to eyes 52 extending upwardly from the base.

Suitable turn-buckles 53 are provided in the rods whereby they can betightened as desired.

What I claim as my inventionis':- 1. In a grain tank, the combinationwith the roof thereof having an elongated opening therein radiating fromthe peak, of a cover closing ovr the opening, and a hoodsecured to theroof and fitting over the end of the cover adjacent the peak, as and forthe purpose specified; 2. In agrain tank, a sectional metallic roofsupported by roof beams, and having .anelongated opening the combinationwith a cover over therein with opposing sides turned upperms;-

the upwardly directed edges of the opening, the opening having its sidesturned upwardly and backwardly and adapted to fit overjthe upper edgesof the plates, and a hood secured to the roof and receiving the .upnerend of the cover,-as and 10 for the purpose specified.

Signed at Winnepeg, in the Province of Manitoba, this 10th day of June1910.

WILLIAM JOHNSTON.

In the presence of S; ROXBURGH, J. K. ELKIN.

